American Airpower Museum provides a slice of D-Day history

Farmingdale, NY — It’s the eve of D-Day 1944 and you’re being briefed about your historic and important mission to jump behind German lines. You and the rest of your “stick” of jumpers are scared but no one shows it. In fact, the months and even years of preparation for this mission have left you itching to go. You know it’s going to be dangerous but you are young, strong, well trained and confident that if anything happens, it won’t happen to you.

It’s now D-Day + 70 years and you want to know what it was like for those brave men of the U.S. and Allied forces to prepare for and carry out their historic mission. Well, now you can get an authentic sense of what they might of experienced.

Every Memorial Day and Labor Day weekend the American Airpower Museum offers their “D-Day Experience”. For a very reasonable fee they’ll give you the experience of a lifetime. You’ll get the opportunity to be a member of the 101st Airborne on D-Day. The staff of the Air Museum Network tagged along on a mission during the museum’s “Legends of Airpower Weekend” event held this past Memorial Day weekend.

The experience starts off with getting your gear. Soldiers are “issued” a jacket and a helmet authentic to the time. Next you are brought in the briefing room where you are given a highly detailed explanation of your mission. Our briefing was presented my Captain F.H. “Rod” Rogers who not only provides a mission overview but also breaks character to answer historical questions anyone might have.

CAPT. Rogers served 23 years in the U.S. Army including much of that time in the 101st Airborne. CAPT. Rogers looks every bit the part of a company commander in his WWII uniform and military haircut. CAPT. Rogers doesn’t seem to be the type of commander who just barks out orders, instead he just exudes confidence and an ease that permeates throughout the ranks.

After our briefing we were lined up for inspection and lead on board the museum’s 1944 Douglas C-47. Our mission aircraft was crewed by Pilot Jim Vocell (Chief Pilot), co-pilot John Purdy and Crew Chief Henny Murray. Thousands of these aircraft were used on D-Day to transport troops and tow Waco CG-4A and British Horsa gliders over enemy territory. Fans of the T.V. show “The Black List” might recognize the museum’s aircraft from season 1 episode 21.

The aircraft then takes off for a scenic ride up and down the beautiful Long Island coastline. “Soldiers” are free to roam about and even visit the cockpit. After landing, the soldiers then “hook up” their static jump lines to the overhead cable and prepare to jump. OK, they are really just exiting the now parked aircraft but one can not help but get a sense of anxiousness of what the real soldiers must of felt.

The American Airpower Museum’s “D-Day Experience” provides a real sense of history. The presentation is not overly dramatic nor is it taken too lightly. The American Airpower Museum provides visitors with a real sense of you-are-there history that truly should not be missed.